Renewable energy supplier Green Energy will tomorrow launch two dual-fuel deals for the first time in its 13-year history.

In yet another example of small-scale suppliers stepping up their battle against bigger rivals, the company wants to make itself more convenient to customers by allowing them to buy gas at the same time as their electricity.

Unlike electricity, pure ‘green’ gas from renewable sources is not available to buy from the national grid, which is why Green Energy has never chosen to supply it until now.

Wind of change: Green Energy is offering dual tariffs

Chief executive Doug Stewart said he reversed this decision after 83 per cent of customers returned a ‘yes’ vote when asked if the company should supply gas.

Of the remaining 17 per cent, only three per cent said they wanted gas from a purely green source, which is something the supplier wants to work towards.

Some 70 per cent of the gas will come from the North Sea. Green Energy launched in 2001 and has expanded via word of mouth and through its visibility on the internet.

Customers are also given the option to become token shareholders in the group – if they tick a box when they sign up they are handed 400 shares.

These shares carry no monetary value, but come with voting rights.

Stewart says: ‘The industry hasn’t done itself any favours over the years in terms of honesty and integrity, but we are answerable to our customers as shareholders. We consulted our customers and listened to the answers we got.’

There are two straightforward dual-fuel tariffs, ‘Still’ or ‘Sparkling’. The former is priced to compete with major suppliers and uses electricity harnessed from waste heat emitted by power plants, while electricity for the latter is 100 per cent renewable.

For someone who has never switched to a new supplier, Green Energy says its gas will be more keenly priced than that of British Gas for both tariffs.

And electricity under the ‘Still’ deal will be cheaper for households than that offered by the supplier that historically served where they live – the ‘incumbent’ supplier. Electricity for the ‘Sparkling’ deal aims to match the incumbent supplier.

The gas offering officially launches tomorrow when it will appear on consumer comparison websites, such as Gocompare and uSwitch.

Switching over the phone can be done by calling the Energy Helpline on 0800 0740745.